Hi avidreader
when I went to my first meeting it was a candlelight you wanna talk about weird, but I tried another why don't you. You don't have to say anything you don't want to I too thought it was incredibly corny but I have come to realize that the saying "Hi Bob" or whoever it is speaking is a way of making that person feel more relaxed it is not an easy thing to get up in front of a group of people. The readings in the beginning are the way meetings are started it and the serenity pray or at my meetings we say the Lords pray (if you really listen to the Lords pray it applies to all denominations) is the way meetings are ended. Good Luck with the women's meeting. I got alot of my questions answered at my women's meeting. Karena